


Places to Call Home

by Why_so_drama



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, Fluff, M/M, Stardew Valley AU, Thirsty Tyler, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-09-02 04:20:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20269912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Why_so_drama/pseuds/Why_so_drama
Summary: When Tyler takes over the family farm, he doesn’t expect to be giving away his very first parsnip, and along with it, his heart.This can be read whether or not you are familiar with Stardew Valley.





	Places to Call Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tisaniere](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tisaniere/gifts).

> Dear Tisaniere,
> 
> We aren’t sure if this is what you wanted or expected, but when we saw that you wanted a farm AU, we couldn’t not write Stardew Valley. We hope you like reading it as much as we liked writing it, because this was a really fun AU.
> 
> Title is from Sleep on it’s _New Way Home_.

Tyler’s first morning on his new farm in Pelican Town is an absolute fucking shit show. He’d gotten into town late the night before, had been greeted by the Mayor - Jason Spe-something, and by the resident carpenter, who’d just gone by Sid. They’d shown him to the tiny ass little cottage on his grandfather’s property, explained a few things to him - like the Mayor coming by ‘in the night’ for anything that Tyler might want to sell, and then they’d left him to his own devices. What he’d done was find his bed and passed the fuck out. It was too much to deal with in one day. 

Unfortunately, nothing has cleared up in terms of his confusion the next morning. In fact, things have just gotten weirder. There’s a crate in the middle of his living room that hadn’t been there the day before with a note on it. Tyler blinks at it in confusion, deciding that he needed coffee and maybe pants before he can deal with it. 

He stares at the crate curiously as he listens to the coffee brew. There’s no postmark on it, so it wasn’t mailed to him, but that doesn’t explain where in hell it might have come from. Finally, he’s halfway through his coffee when he decides that he needs to know what’s inside the box. He still hasn’t bothered with pants, but now he’s too busy opening it up to bother. When he pulls out what’s inside, he frowns. 

“What the fuck is a parsnip?”

-

As it turns out, there’s an explanation along with seed packets telling Tyler exactly what he needs to do to get everything up and running. He’s relieved, in more ways than one. His grandfather isn’t in good enough shape to take care of the land anymore, and after he had reluctantly retired to the city, no one in the family had wanted to take over the farm. That had included Tyler himself; he had been happy with his meaningless life of fancy clothes, exotic vacations, and the endless grind to earn enough for both. 

Three weeks ago, he had quit his job on an overworked, sleep deprived whim, after an unexpectedly comforting phone call with Gramps. Within the following week, he had sold his condo and put all his stuff in storage. Now he’s here, in this tiny little shed of a house, with seeds that need to be planted. He’s ready for a change, and this is it. He can do this, and without calling Gramps to ask about every little thing. Now, if only he could figure out what to do with a pickaxe…

By the time the sun starts to set, Tyler doesn’t think he’s ever worked this hard in his life. He had spent the day clearing rocks, tilling the earth, planting seeds and watering them. He’s exhausted, covered in sweat, with dirt streaked across his face, but he feels more alive than he has in years. 

He doesn’t even bother with a shower, just washing his face and changing his shirt before making his way to the village saloon. The mayor said that most people hung out there at night, and a cold beer sounds amazing after all the work he’d done. 

It’s a bit of a hike into town, but not far enough to worry about not having a working vehicle. Or a horse. Did people have horses around here? His grandfather had left an ancient truck behind, but the mayor had told him the thing hadn’t run in years. Regardless, Tyler is in town within ten minutes, and spots the mayor as soon as he enters the saloon.

“Mayor Spezza, right? Thanks for those seeds, man. No idea what I’m doing yet, but I’m sure I’ll get there,” he says, smiling brightly. He feels good about the day’s work, it had been a productive afternoon once he’d gotten going, and he’s pretty sure tomorrow will be even better. It’s been a while since he’s felt this optimistic. 

“Hey, no problem! You can just call me Jason, by the way. We really strive to be a community around here, you know? Help each other out whenever we can. Why don’t I introduce you to some of the people that live in Pelican Town?”

“That’s, yeah. That sounds great.” 

Tyler has always been really good at making friends, and having an introduction usually speeds up the process. He follows Jason around and meets everyone from Jordie, the guy that owns the saloon, to Roope, Miro and another Jason, who are playing pool by the arcade games. He greets them all, invites any of them to come by his farm any time they want, and then wanders back into the main part of the bar when Mayor Jason stops to talk to the younger ones about something. 

When he steps over the threshold into the main room in the saloon, he has to stop his mouth from falling open at the guy who walks in. He’s the epitome of tall, dark and handsome, with a trendy haircut and a great beard. Big, in a way that Tyler’s sure will make him feel small, even though that’s a feat in and of itself. The guy’s deep green plaid shirt stretches over broad shoulders, and his jeans are a little tighter than Tyler would have expected in a farming community. He looks like he’d have crinkles around his eyes if he smiled. 

Tyler had sworn that he wouldn’t try to hook up with the whole town on his first night, but he might have to make an exception for this guy. 

New guy goes over to talk to Jordie, and Tyler notices a striking resemblance between them. Probably family, but the new guy is much better looking. Tyler needs to know his name. 

Jason Sr appears to be getting his ass handed to him at the pool table by Jason Jr, so Tyler strolls over to the bar, doing his best to look smooth and confident. It falters a little when both Jordie and the guy turned to look at him simultaneously. 

“Uh, hi. Can I have a beer?” 

Jordie takes his order and heads toward the beer on tap, leaving Tyler alone with the new guy. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Taylor,” he says, and then immediately wants to sink through the floor. He’ll never be able to show his face in this saloon again, and it’s the only place in town to get a beer. Tyler’s life is effectively over because there are people hot enough that he apparently forgets his own name. 

“Jimmy,” the guy replies, and then looks mortified. “I mean, Jamie! Shit, what the fuck, I’m Jamie, not Jimmy.”

“Thank fucking god. I’m Tyler, not Taylor.” 

Jamie’s eyes _do_ crinkle when he smiles. “Hi Tyler. Nice to meet you.” 

“Nice to meet you too,” Tyler replies, in a voice that’s not breathy at all. 

“Amazing,” Jordie says as he slides Tyler’s beer across the counter to him. “I thought Jimmy here was one of a kind.”

“Shut up, Jordie.” Jamie gives Tyler a long-suffering look. “Brothers, man. Think they’re all that ‘cause they were born first.” 

Tyler grins and takes a sip of his beer. “I’m an older brother myself. Just took over the Seguin farm from my grandpa. What do you do around here?” 

“Oh, uh, lotta stuff? I work here most nights with Jordie, but he’s got Daddy- I mean Jason, his husband, to help out, so he doesn’t really need me. I like to fix things I guess? Mostly do yard work, and help people out with deliveries and shit. Not really a lot, you know?” Jamie rambles, voice dropping into a shy sort of mumble at the end. 

Tyler’s heart melts a little. “Sounds like plenty. So you’re gonna be around a lot?” 

“Yeah, I mean, it’s a small town and I live here, so you’ll definitely see me.”

“Definitely,” Tyler agrees, letting his eyes linger on Jamie’s arms and shoulders. The guy probably gives excellent hugs. “So, uh, what do you do for fun around here? Does the town collect Jasons?”

“Uh well, you should talk to Mayor Spezza about town activities, but there are three Jasons? There’s Daddy, Jordie’s husband, and Mayor Spezza, then Jason Dickinson. We call him Dickie, and Spezza is Spezz-”

“Do I even want to know how Daddy got his nickname?” 

“Old hockey name,” Jamie replies with a shrug, glancing over when Jordie calls from the other end of the bar. “I should get back to work though. I’ll see you around, okay?”

“I promise,” Tyler replies. He grins and holds up his beer, then watches as Jamie leaves. He turns around to see that Sid and another guy have shown up beside him, and he gives them a nod. “Hey, how are ya?”

“We’re good,” Sid tells him. “This is my husband Geno, by the way. He owns the fishing shack down by the beach. G, this is the new farmer that I was telling you about.”

“Hi! Sit, sit, have a beer with me.” Tyler raises his glass. “I just planted parsnips for the first time.” 

“That why you cover in dirt?” Geno asks, raising an eyebrow. Sid gives him a reproachful look and clinks his own glass with Tyler’s. 

Tyler laughs. “I just made the worst first impression of my life, a little dirt is nothing.” 

“Hah. Little Benny is blush, and he keep trying to look back at you.” 

Now that Geno mentions it, Tyler does notice Jamie sneaking glances back at him, so he winks. He won’t bother Jamie anymore tonight, but he’s definitely going to make sure that they get to hang out, possibly every day for the rest of their lives. Jamie is cute, and hot, and fucking big, and he checks all of Tyler’s boxes. It seems like he might be gay too, which is honestly more than Tyler was expecting. 

There’s actually a lot of gay guys here, considering Sid and Geno are married to each other, which is a pleasant surprise. He takes his time chatting and drinking with them. Drinking has gotten him into trouble in the past, and he doesn’t want his bad reputation following him here, somewhere he can have a second chance. Besides, he’s going to be living alongside these people. He wants to remember the things they talk about. He wants to get to know them. 

He orders one more beer that night, grins when Jamie delivers it, and then walks back to his property. He sheds his clothes, and climbs into bed. He’s ready for another day on the farm.

-

Time on a farm passes far more quickly than Tyler would have ever expected. He’s busy every single day, watering his crops, tilling more earth, and clearing more space for more plants to grow. Sometimes he gets lost in it. When he realises that the wide open space is overwhelming, and that he can’t handle seeing nothing but more forest on the skyline, or that he hasn’t spoken to an actual human in days, he finishes off his chores early and heads into town. 

He often spends time at the saloon, chatting with the other people that live in Pelican Town. He meets the younger guys, Dickie, Roope and Miro, and even joins them for a game of pool sometimes. He flirts harmlessly with Jordie and Daddy, flirts more seriously with Jamie when he’s working. 

One night when he comes in, there’s a tv wheeled out into one of the corners, and most of the guys are crowded around it, beers in hand, and snacks spread across a table to the side. 

“Hey Ty,” Jamie calls out, “come watch the playoffs with us.” 

“Stanley Cup Finals?” He gets a beer from Jordie and heads over to sit down on the chair next to Jamie. “Time fucking flies, I totally forgot about this.” He doesn’t have cable, or a sports package in the farm house, so he hasn’t been watching any games since his arrival. “Who’s playing?” 

“Stars and Preds,” Jamie tells him in an undertone. “I’m cheering for the Stars.” 

“Oh?” Tyler responds. He’s always been a Leafs fan since he was born and raised in Brampton. As far as he understood, Jamie is Canadian too. It’s weird for him to be a Dallas fan.

“Yeah, I uh- I played for them for a bit? But I fucked up my hips. We hoped that surgery would work to fix them, but I wasn’t the same, no matter how much rehab and physio I did, so I had to take the buyout,” Jamie says, shrugging.

“Man that’s shitty,” Tyler responds. He reaches over and pats Jamie’s arm gently, adds, “I think I remember hearing about that. Jamie Benn, right? I remembered hearing about that, but like, I’m a Leafs fan, so I didn’t pay much attention. I just remember thinking that it was fucked up, you know?”

“I was fucked up about it for a while, but I’m good now. Stardew Valley has been a great place for me, and I think it will be good for you too,” he continues. “It’s just, life is simple here, and we all help each other out, which is fucking great.” 

“Yeah, it’s been good so far,” Tyler admits. He wants to tell Jamie all about why he’d come here, but it seems like too much when they’re just sitting down to watch a hockey game. “I really like it. I never thought that working with my hands was something I’d want, but there’s something meditative about tilling and planting that makes all the bad shit just melt away.” 

Jamie shoots a smile over at him and Tyler pats his thigh again. He leaves his hand this time, and Jamie doesn’t seem to mind. By the second period, Jamie’s arm is perched around Tyler’s shoulder, and they’re both cheering everytime the Stars make a good play. 

After the game, he and Jamie hang around a little, half watching the post-game coverage and making small talk. Tyler eventually has one last beer before patting Jamie on the back and heading back home. He doesn’t want to rush this. It feels too big right now, like if he lets himself fall for Jamie too quickly, he’s going to drown in it. That doesn’t stop him from falling asleep thinking about his hand on Jamie’s thigh, and how good his arm had felt around his shoulder. 

-

His first few weeks are a blur of activity and Tyler learns a lot. When he harvests those first few parsnips, he makes sure to document it by snapping about a hundred photos of them to send to Gramps and everyone else. Then he takes one of himself grinning in front of the pile of parsnips and posts it on Instagram. He can’t believe that he’s managed to grow something, or that his other plants are doing as well as they are. He thinks that there must be something magical about this town, but he hasn’t really figured it out what it is quite yet.

He washes off one of his parsnips, jumps in the shower quickly, and gets dressed to head into town. He doesn’t stop and talk to everyone when he goes, but he always hopes to see Jamie. Last time, he hadn’t even gotten to talk to him, had just seen him afar, but it was enough to get his heart beating and his hands shaking. 

Other than his work on the farm, Tyler spends probably too much time thinking about Jamie. It’s not his fault; he’s gotten to know the man a bit more over the past few weeks and he is absolutely smitten. Jamie is still shy and sweet, but he comes out with these wicked jokes sometimes that just make Tyler break into peals of laughter. He’s got a killer smile, and the more time they spend together, the less subdued he is. 

It doesn’t hurt that Jamie still has a fantastic body. He’s strong and fit; Tyler’s knees had actually gone weak that one time he saw Jamie lifting a keg barrel outside of the saloon. He’s got these thick thighs, and a fantastic ass. Even if his personality wasn’t as great as it is, Tyler would enjoy just looking at him.

Every single glimpse of who Jamie is has Tyler wanting more. Every time he goes into town, he might linger just a little, he might go to places that he doesn’t need to go, just in case he runs into Jamie. 

This time, he doesn’t even pretend not to be looking. He struts into the saloon and nods at Jordie. “Hey,” he greets. “Is Jamie around?” 

“He’s out back. We’re having some issues with one of our fucking kegs. Why?” He asks, narrowing his eyes.

“I have something to show him,” Tyler answers him brightly. “And it’s not even my dick.” 

Jordie looks like he chokes for a moment, but then he chuckles lowly. “I don’t think he’d complain too much, to be honest with you,” he mentions, and that’s news to Tyler. 

He files that away and bats his eyelashes at Jordie a little, “can I see him? Please? Come on, I even took a shower before coming by this time.” Technically, no one but the staff are allowed in the back, but Jamie’s brought Tyler back there to try some of his experimental beers before, so he hopes that he’s allowed back there again.

“Fine, but don’t break anything,” Jordie commands. 

“What do you think we’ll be doing?” Tyler asks, wide eyed. “Nevermind, gotta go!” He sneaks in behind Jordie and out toward the storage area, where he can already hear Jamie cursing. “Jamie!” Tyler calls out, “I have something to show you!”

“Tyler?” He hears as he rounds the corner. He walks into the storage area only to see Jamie setting down one of the kegs. Tyler takes a moment to look at the way his arm muscles bulge delightfully as he rolls it toward the other barrels. “What are you doing back here?” 

“Jordie let me in. But look!” He takes the parsnip out of his pocket and grins. “I pulled this little baby out of the ground this morning. Pretty fucking cool, eh?” 

“Is that a parsnip?” Jamie takes the vegetable from his hands and examines it. 

“Yeah,” Tyler replies, still grinning. “It’s the first thing that I’ve managed to grow.”

“Do you- can I- uh… I really like to cook.” Jamie admits. “So I’ve been hoping that someone would take over the farm, maybe get us some more variety in vegetables, you know? This is way better than the shit we’ve been buying at Joja Mart,” he complains. “Do you mind if I keep this?” 

“Not at all. I’ve got fourteen more back home,” Tyler tells him. “You’re really gonna make something with this?” 

“Yeah, but I’m not sure what yet. I’ll let you know about it after,” he offers. He gives Tyler devastatingly cute smile, making Tyler melt inside a little. He still can’t believe that he’d met someone that he’s actually interested in here in Pelican Town. It feels so ridiculous, but this place has a weird sort of magic about it, and Tyler isn’t going to complain about meeting such a nice guy. 

He just wishes he knew how to flirt with him. Tyler’s never had any trouble with flirting, or with finding people eager to share his bed. He’s never felt shy around anyone, but for some reason it feels like this matters, like Jamie might be it for him, and he’s too afraid to fuck it up to try any of his regular moves. 

“You should grow some hops in the summer. I want to start expanding our beer selection, and I heard that they produce pretty regularly.”

“I’ll keep it in mind,” Tyler offers. “I should get going though. I’ll see you around.” 

“Thanks for this,” Jamie says, holding up the parsnip. “I’ll see you, Tyler.”

With a wave, Tyler heads back out to the main part of the bar, where he finds Jordie staring at him judgmentally. “Holy shit, your brother is hot when he’s lifting beer kegs,” Tyler tells him as he heads toward the door. He doesn’t even wait to hear Jordie’s response.

-

The next evening, Tyler is sitting on his porch just looking over his garden. He’d sold the rest of his parsnips along with a few leeks and radishes he’d found growing wild. With the money he’d received from Antoine, the owner of the general store, he’d bought new seeds and planted them in his garden. If he can grow parsnips, he’s hoping that he can manage some other things as well. 

He’s just taking a moment to himself to reflect on his hard work when he hears someone approaching. Miraculously, that someone is Jamie. Tyler stands up and makes an attempt to brush the dirt off of his jeans. He doesn’t get a lot of visitors out here. Sometimes Big Rig comes to deliver things, and Spezz drops in to check up on him once a week or so, but usually, if Tyler wants some human companionship, he has to go into town. Having Jamie out here is a delightful surprise. 

“Hey Ty,” Jamie greets when he gets closer. “Wow, this place looks fucking great! I haven’t been out here in years,” he tells him. “You’ve done a good job.”

“Thanks,” Tyler replies. He can feel himself flushing, and his heart beating a little faster. No one has ever really told him that before and it feels really good to have all his hard work appreciated. “What brings you out here?”

“Oh yeah, I made parsnip fries and I wanted to share them with you.” He steps up onto the deck and shoots Tyler a grin. Tyler can’t help but feel his knees go weak. Jamie is devastatingly handsome when he smiles like that; it actually makes his head spin. “Do you want to try them?”

“Yes.” Tyler steps forward to peer into the container that Jamie is holding and then blinks up at him. “You really made this with my parsnip?” He asks.

“Yeah, and I bought a few more from Antoine after he told me that they were yours. They’re so good, Ty, like, fucking amazing.”

It takes everything in Tyler’s power not to utter, _you’re fucking amazing_ back to him, but he keeps his damn mouth shut, and just continues to blink at Jamie, surprised and flattered. Jamie pushes the container toward him, and Tyler carefully takes one of the fries out. He examines it for a moment, surprised at how emotional he feels about someone making something out of a vegetable that he grew, and then he takes a bite. 

“Holy fuck,” he blurts right after he swallows. 

“Is that a good holy fuck, or a bad one?”

“Good, definitely good. How did you make these? I can’t cook at all. I literally eat at the saloon or I eat like, berries and shit that I find foraging.”

“Ty, don’t you have a stove?” Jamie asks. Tyler shakes his head and reaches for another fry. “Okay, dude, you need to talk to Sid. He can get you set up, and if you want, I can come over and show you a few things.”

“I want,” Tyler tells him, before stealing another one, “come over whenever you want. Even if I’m not here, and you need some time to just chill, just come and look at the plants. It’s weirdly calming.”

Jamie smiles at him again. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Is there anything else you want me to grow? I don’t really know a lot about this yet, but I can try to do whatever.”

“Tomatoes,” Jamie says immediately. “I want to make my own ketchup. Ketchup is like, my favourite thing, and I wanna be able to make a tasty, healthier version for the saloon.”

“Deal,” Tyler replies. “Anything else, just let me know.”

“I will,” Jamie promises. He pushes the container of fries into Tyler’s hands and says, “keep them. Bring the container back later. I’ll see you around.”

“Bye, Jamie,” Tyler calls after him. He brings the parsnip fries inside and finishes them off, feeling warmer than he has in a very long time. 

-

Tyler wakes up one morning to a letter telling him that there is a dance the next day in the woods south of his farm. He doesn’t know what a _Flower Dance_ is, but if it means he might get to see Jamie, he is in. He spends the day watering his crops and clearing more of the land, but in the evening, he dithers over what he should wear. 

He’d put his nice stuff away after he’d ruined his second pair of three hundred dollar jeans while working in the garden. Instead, he’d just picked up a few heartier and cheaper pairs and left the rest in a box, hidden away just like his previous life. He digs out the box and starts pulling things out, but he still has trouble deciding. He wants to look good, wants Jamie to notice that he’d put some extra effort into his appearance just because he knew that he’d be seeing the man. 

He wonders if Jamie thinks about him at all, when he’s not around, but then has to dismiss the thought. Jamie has been nothing but receptive to his shy advances, even making it pretty clear that he’s interested. Tyler doesn’t think he needs to worry about Jamie being into him, but he might need to make sure that Jamie wants to actually be with him. Jamie is a former pro hockey player, and Tyler is just Tyler. Sure, he’s having some success on the farm now, but it comes in the wake of extensive failure. He’d even quit his job by not showing up anymore, and not by going through official channels. 

He’d spent most of his years in early adulthood getting black out drunk in clubs, hooking up with any guy that was willing. He’d spent the last few years working the shittiest job, contributing to a toxic work culture and to capitalism in general. He’d worked there until he couldn’t anymore, and then he’d run away. He doesn’t know if there’s anything left in him that’s respectable anymore, but he wants Jamie to respect him. He wants everyone here in the Valley to like him, to want him here, and he’s really trying to work toward that. 

He just hopes that he doesn’t fuck this up too. 

He needs to put these thoughts away, just like he’d put away his old clothes and his old life. He’s here now, he’s making friends, and his garden is growing. That’s all he needs. 

He selects a pair of skinny jeans and a plain shirt. Over it, he’ll wear something plaid, something that he’s purchased recently; a blending of his old life and this new one. He sets them aside for tomorrow and heads back outside. 

Looking out over his crops is calming in a way that he can’t describe, and he stays out there until the sun has been set for a very long time. 

-

The next morning, he rushes through his chores, showers, changes, actually does something with his hair, and heads south with a basket of flowers that he’d picked from his fields. He knows that he hasn’t met all of the villagers yet, and is hoping to make a good impression. So far, everyone in town seems to like flowers. 

As soon as he enters the clearing, Tyler sees that the town had gone all out. The field is decorated with countless approximations of flowers and there are streamers hung from tree to tree. Everyone is dressed up, which makes Tyler feel a bit better about his own efforts. He grins and waves when he sees Jordie and Daddy standing together along the sidelines. As soon as he gets close enough, he tucks flowers behind each of their ears and says, “nice beard.” Jordie has put little tiny flowers in it for the event and admittedly, he looks really good. 

“Thanks, you look good. Can’t imagine why,” Jordie teases. 

“Well, gotta show off a little for the Flower Dance, am I right?” Tyler responds.

“I’m sure you only dressed up for the dance,” Daddy quips. “Not for any other reason.” 

Tyler just shrugs because he knows that he’s been obvious about his interest in Jamie since the get go. “Well, I’m gonna go mingle, I don’t think I’ve met everyone yet. Is Jamie coming?” 

“He’ll be here. I think he’s just back at the saloon grabbing the last of the food,” Jordie tells him.

Tyler turns around and gives them a thumbs up as he continues on his way. He manages to meet Patty Marleau, who is acting as a teacher to some of the village’s kids. His two charges are Mitch and Auston, who are no more than ten years old. Pelican Town apparently doesn’t have a school, so Patty’s been taking them to the library and teaching them to make sure that they’re ready for middle school when the time comes. Tyler gives them each flowers, which Auston threads through his hair proudly and Mitch tries to eat. 

He also meets Olli, Sid and Geno’s son, who is a beekeeper. He’s talking to Olli about potentially housing some hives on his property when he sees Jamie arrive. He’s so distracted that he doesn’t even hear what Olli is saying. When he turns back around, Olli is just smirking at him and shoving him toward Jamie, “I’ll come by to help you set up sometime this week,” he says and then Tyler is face to face with Jamie. 

“Uh, hi,” he says awkwardly. “I dressed up.”

“I can see that,” Jamie replies. Tyler watches as Jamie gives him an obvious once over. “You look good. How does it feel to get out of those overalls?”

“Jamie Benn, I would never,” Tyler replies, gasping. “But honestly? I used to wear this shit all the time, and now it just feels weird.” He tugs a little at his shirt and shrugs. “So what’s this dance all about?”

Jamie moves so that he’s leaning against one of the trees surrounding the clearing that Mayor Spezza had chosen and shrugs. “People kinda just pair off and dance together. I’ve danced with people a couple times. It’s like no one actually knows the dance but as soon as it starts, your body knows exactly what you should be doing. I guess it’s just another one of those magic things in the Valley.”

“There seems to be a lot of those,” Tyler responds. “Like, I just kinda know where to look for wild fruits and veggies. I feel like there are a lot more things but I just can’t think of them right now.” 

“But you get it. There’s something weird about this place. Something kinda special. I really like it.”

They’re interrupted quickly by one of the younger guys - Miro, Tyler thinks - saying, “Hey, come get some food. You missed out at the egg festival!”

Tyler thinks back quickly and realises that yes, he absolutely forgot to go to the Egg Festival earlier that Spring. He remembers getting the letter - who the fuck sends letters anymore, anyway - and then he remembers that the day of the festival had been spent preparing to plant more seeds after his initial parsnip harvest. He’d spent the entire day thinking about Jamie, and completely forgotten that he could have been spending the day with him instead.

“Shit, you’re right!” He responds. “I can’t believe I forgot about that.” 

“Besides, the guys and I have something to ask you,” adds Roope, who comes up beside Miro and leans in against him. Seriously, everyone in this town is gay, Tyler swears it. 

“Oh yeah! You have a big yard, right?” Miro asks him. 

“Uh, yes?” Tyler responds, “it is a farm, after all.”

“So you can make a rink, right? Because we all really like hockey and we don’t have a place to play. The ocean doesn’t freeze over in the winter, so we could make a rink at your farm!” Roope blurts out. 

Jamie comes around Tyler’s side, because somehow the conversation with the younger guys had made Tyler move away, “that’s a great idea. I’ll come help you get it ready as soon as it’s cold enough. My dad used to make us an outdoor rink every winter, and he showed Jordie and I how to do it. As long as it’s okay with you, I mean.” 

“Of fucking course it’s okay with me!” Tyler responds. “That sounds amazing. If we have enough guys, we can have teams and everything. I’m so in!”

Jamie shoots him a devastatingly handsome smile and Tyler feels himself melt a little. Even if he hadn’t wanted to make the rink, he would have done it just to see Jamie look at him like that. “That’s awesome, Ty. Listen, do you wanna-”

They’re interrupted by someone else. It seems like without him realising it, Tyler has become very popular in Stardew Valley, and he’s whisked away into a conversation with Hilary. From there he talks to a few more villagers, all while grabbing some of the excellent food that Jordie and Daddy made. 

Finally, he’s cornered by Sid near the cliff face, and they end up talking about building a coop for him. “Taking care of the chickens really helps Geno cope with how boring the valley can be in the winter time. I think it would be good for someone else in the Valley to be producing eggs as well. What do you think? Should I come over and start building tomorrow?”

“Sure,” Tyler replies. “I can get some hens from Rig, right?”

They’re caught up again in the variety of chickens that Geno’s raising on their mountainside ranch that Tyler doesn’t notice anyone approaching them. Suddenly though, there’s the weight of something on his head and Tyler is turning around to face Jamie. “Hey,” Jamie says in a low voice. It makes Tyler shiver a little. Jamie’s voice is smooth and melodic, and Tyler loves to hear it when he’s being addressed. 

“Hey,” Tyler responds. “Where did you come from?” It’s like Jamie’s been hanging out in his peripheral all day, like he’s been trying to get Tyler’s attention. He wishes he’d realised that earlier, because all he wants to do is be around Jamie. “What’s this?” He asks as he pulls something off his head. It’s a flower crown made from the prettiest of the spring blossoms, featuring heavily on greens and whites. Tyler loves it, so he places it back on his head, much to Jamie’s obvious delight. 

“It’s an old tradition in the valley. If a guy wants to ask someone to dance, he offers them a flower crown and asks them to be his flower queen. I guess you could be a flower king instead…”

Tyler doesn’t even hear half of what Jamie says; he just fixated on one part and implores, “you wanna dance with me?”

“Uh, yes?” Jamie responds quickly. “I mean, if you want-”

“Yes,” says Tyler. “Yes, I want.”

It’s like the sun decides to wash over Jamie’s face at that very moment, that’s how bright his smile is. Tyler feels himself warm up just looking at it. All he wants to do is confess everything he’s been feeling for Jamie, but he’s going to have to wait. Mayor Spezza is calling everyone over and announcing that it’s time for the dance portion of the festival to start. 

Tyler sets down his now empty basket and looks toward Jamie as the two groups of partners for a line across from each other. He’s not sure what he’s supposed to be doing, aside from standing on the same side as the rest of the people with flower crowns, Roope, Sid, Olli and little Mitch among those present. Spezz says something ceremonial, but Tyler can’t concentrate because he’s too nervous, and also still in a bit of disbelief that Jamie had asked him to be his flower queen.

The music starts up and Tyler panics. He has no idea what he’s doing. Then, by some strange magic, his body starts to move. It’s just like Jamie said, he just somehow knows what to do. He doesn’t have to pay attention to his dancing, so he watches Jamie instead, and finds him watching right back. Tyler gives him a shy smile and the shy little quirk of Jamie’s lips that he gets back makes Tyler feel warm all over. 

He doesn’t know how he managed to deserve this, to deserve the farm he’s living on, the friends he’s made here, and the look that Jamie is giving him. He doesn’t know what he’s done for all of this, but he knows he’ll make sure that he never takes it for granted. This is his life now, it’s not perfect; farming in the rain is really shit, but he’s so glad that he’s here living it. 

When they break off from the dance, Tyler lets Jamie lead him toward the buffet. They load up their plates and claim a corner of the little sectioned off area together. 

“Thanks for the dance,” Jamie murmurs.

“It was seriously my pleasure. Seriously Jamie, I really liked dancing with you.” 

“They say that you’re destined to spend the year with the person you dance with at the Flower festival,” Jamie mentions, “that’s why you see so many couples pairing off for it. I uh… I really like you. You’re cute, and ridiculous, and I want to spend more time with you.”

“Oh my god, I like you too,” Tyler blurts out, “like so much. You must have noticed. Like, half the time I come to town it’s in hopes that I see you.” 

“Really?” Jamie asks, seemingly surprised. And that- that’s not okay. Jamie needs to know how amazing he is. Tyler needs to tell him every single day. 

“So much,” Tyler assures him. “Like dude, you have no idea.” 

Jamie looks pleased, but he’s also blushing pretty furiously, so Tyler decides to let up a little bit. He eats his food and then settles back against the cliff face. Other townspeople come by to talk to each of them, both individually and together, but Tyler never leaves Jamie’s side for the rest of the afternoon. When he heads home, he’s holding Jamie’s hand as they walk through the Cindersnap Forest. 

Tyler turns to face Jamie on his porch, takes both of his hands in his. “Jamie,” he says softly, “Jamie, I’m so glad you asked me to dance.” 

“You’re the prettiest Flower Queen I’ve ever seen,” Jamie teases. For a moment, they just smile at each other, caught up in the day’s successes, and in each other. “I’m gonna kiss you now.” 

Tyler tips his head up slightly and meets Jamie halfway. It’s just a soft, sweet kiss, but it sets Tyler on fire. He can feel the heat of Jamie’s body against his, leans into the hands that have now fit themselves around his waist. He ends the kiss gently, but then leans in for another, this one a little hotter, and a little more demanding than the last. 

Finally, they break apart and Jamie’s eyes are dark with desire, which makes Tyler’s knees feel a little weak… “I like you too much to rush this.”

“I wish you hadn’t said that, but I know you’re right. But damn, Ty, I’d take you up on it,” Jamie tells him. “But I like you too much to rush it too. Let’s just-”

“One more kiss,” Tyler says. He leans in and lets his lips smooth across Jamie’s. In that moment, he’s not thinking of the vegetables he has to harvest the next day, or about how to try and coax that dog he’s seen skulking around into liking him. He’s not thinking about how Sid will be over in the morning to start building a coop for him, and he’s not considering when Olli will be setting up the beehives. He’s not thinking about anything in that moment except for how soft Jamie’s lips are, and about what he would do to keep kissing Jamie like this under the stars on his front porch forever. 

In that moment, nothing matters except for this perfect man in front of him, and how good it feels to know that he likes Tyler back.

They part slowly, like neither of them actually wants to. 

“Come by the saloon tomorrow, we can watch the game together,” Jamie says. 

“Come over for lunch tomorrow, I’ve got some veggies for you,” Tyler counters. “And I’ll come by tomorrow night.” 

“Deal,” Jamie says. He leans in and presses a kiss to Tyler’s cheek. “I’ll see you then.”

“Deal,” Tyler agrees. He feels Jamie squeeze his hips gently one last time, and then Tyler’s watching him walk down the cobblestone path he’d built last week from all of the stones he’d dug up from where he’d planted his crops. He watches until Jamie disappears through the trees, feeling lighter than he has in too long. 

This valley is magical, he’s sure of it now, and he can’t wait to see the turns his life will take now that he’s planning on staying here for good.

**Author's Note:**

> We're also around on [tumblr](https://why-so-drama.tumblr.com/). If you have any questions, comments or asks, hit us up ;)


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